}); The Road to Episode Infinity: December 2019

Tuesday, December 31, 2019

At Decade’s End





This has been a wild decade for Star Wars fans and I have tried to follow all the crazy twists and turns with my blog. I’ve been diligently keeping up with the Expanded Universe. The books. The comics. The cartoons. The Mandalorian. And I’ve been Blogging. Coming up with new ideas to write about and often more ideas than I can keep up with. That’s why I’m going to slow down- for real this time.

My New Years resolution for the new decade is to only publish one blog post per month for the next 12 months. I love blogging. It is a great creative outlet for me. But sometimes it gets in the way of some of the other things I love.

Before I slow down, I’ve had to speed up- furiously capturing my thoughts on “The Rise of Skywalker”, “The Mandalorian”, and all the wonderful books I’ve read this year. And there are just a few more things I want to say before this Decade’s End.

Everything that Ended

2019 wrapped up so many fictional universes. There was the X-Men prequel series, which began with “First Class” in 2011. There was Game of Thrones, which launched in 2011 and was the defining TV series of the decade. There was the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which saw the first Avengers film hit cinemas in 2012 and “Avengers Endgame” hit cinemas this Spring. All in all the 23-film “Infinity Saga” defined the movie culture of the whole decade.

Finally, the Star Wars sequel trilogy (Which began development when Lucas sold Lucasfilm to Disney in 2012) has come to a close.

All of these things will continue in some form. But the Golden Age of these franchises is now behind us. Whatever Marvel or Lucasfilm cooks up for the future of the MCU or Star Wars- it’s going to look quite different. The biggest difference is that we are heading into an Age of Streaming. Streaming will define the next decade as surely as Social Networks defined the 2010-2019 decade. The Mandalorian is only a sneak preview of everything to come.

Kathleen Kennedy vs. Toxic Fandom

Toxic Fandom has also defined the 2010 – 2019 decade. It was felt in many fan circles including Rick and Morty, Doctor Who, and Star Wars. Even “Game of Thrones” fans turned on the creators when the creators ran out of source material. Toxic Fandom is a direct consequence of the anonymity of the internet. It is very sad that so many fans expect creators to directly pander to their individual wishes and desires.
 
Among this insanity has been constant reporting for five straight years that Kathleen Kennedy is going to be fired. Rest assured, the producer who helped develop Indiana Jones, ET, Jurassic Park, Back to the Future, The Goonies, and everything else you’ve ever loved as a child is the best person to steer this franchise. Disney knows it. George Lucas knew it when he appointed her. If you have enjoyed any of the five recent Star Wars films or The Mandalorian, please thank Kathleen Kennedy.

With “The Rise of Skywalker” set to bring in the biggest Star Wars Box Office since “The Force Awakens” (which will make it one of the most successful films of the decade), there is no way Disney is going to can Kathleen Kennedy. Anyone who thinks differently is probably sexist.

This is It!

I started this decade believing that there would never be more Star Wars movies. I remember the exact moment that I heard differently and from whom heard it (thank you Grant Welsh). Now, at the end of the decade, I have five new Star Wars movies and an amazing TV show. Those are things to be thankful for.

Someday we will get a new theatrical film. Probably in the next five years. Someday we will even get an Episode X. Probably in the next fifteen years. For now, I’m going to sit back and enjoy the closure that Rise of Skywalker has given me.

Until next time Star Warriors!


Monday, December 30, 2019

2019 Book Wrap Up

I have read 120 books this year and more than 50 of them were Star Wars. That's seems like a lot in retrospect, but it was a big year for Star Wars, so why not? Here are some of the books I read this year...


Kindred Spirits by Rainbow Rowell

Rainbow Rowell’s Novella “Kindred Spirits” captures a topic that Star Wars fans know well: Line sitting. The book takes place on May on May 18th 1999 as a high school girl named Elena waits in line to see the “The Phantom Menace”. A short read, with enough Star Wars references to please any fan.




Master & Apprentice by Claudia Grey

Claudia Gray has been a Star Wars staple since her novel “Lost Stars” in 2015. Master & Apprentice is Gray’s fourth novel and tells of Qui-Gon Jinn’s attempt to train his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi. There are many revelations in this novel including the fact that Qui-Gon was offered a seat on the Jedi Council. Qui-Gon ultimately turns down the opportunity in favor of finishing Obi-Wan’s training. This book also shows us how by-the-book Obi-Wan was in his younger days. Qui-Gon is the one who teaches him to bend the rules and gives the young Jedi the roguish personality that we see glimpses of in “Attack of the Clones” and “Revenge of the Sith”.


Jedi Lost by Cavan Scott
“Jedi Lost” is a Full Cast Audio Play and one of the most fantastic Expanded Universe releases of the year. The story focuses on Count Dooku’s journey from a young noble on the planet Serenno to a Jedi apprentice and Jedi master. It also reveals why Dooku left the Jedi Order. The Full Cast Audio Play is a new concept for Star Wars, which hasn’t been attempted since the original radio plays.



Queen's Shadow by E.K. Johnston

E.K. Johnston brings the character of Padme into light twenty years after her first appearance in “The Phantom Menace”. This story highlights Padme’s political career after serving as Queen of Naboo and during her time as a Galactic Senator. The book also focuses on Padme’s handmaidens, especially the adventures of Sabé (played by Keira Knightley in the film). This book also sheds light on Padme’s attempt to free Shmi Skywalker from slavery.



Thrawn Alliances by Timothy Zahn

Timothy Zahn recaptured public interest in Star Wars when he published his original Thrawn trilogy in the early 90s. Now he has returned to his iconic character in a very big way. Thrawn Treason finishes his new Thrawn trilogy. Zahn has always been the gold standard for Star Wars novels and this series is no different.

Yet the end of this series does give us a definitive end for this character and in no way is Timothy Zahn finished with the character of Thrawn. Zahn’s new series of books the “Thrawn Ascendancy Trilogy” begins in 2020. These new books will tell the story of the character’s younger days.

Force Collector by Kevin Schinick

“Force Collector” is a refreshing Star Wars read. The audience is introduced to Karr Nuq Sin a kid from the outskirts of the Galaxy who is a gifted with psychometry (the ability to read objects through the Force). Karr is especially drawn to objects that came in close contact with Jedi. He travels the Galaxy collecting the objects and that’s pretty much the whole book. There are no lightsaber duels or big battles. It’s very satisfying.


Resistance Reborn

by Rebecca Roanhorse

Resistance Reborn is the culmination of the Disney Expanded Universe thus far. It wraps up characters and plot lines introduced in the “Aftermath Trilogy”, “Bloodline”, and the “Poe Dameron” Marvel comic series. It takes place in the days following “The Last Jedi” and focuses mainly and Poe Dameron and Princess Leia. Wedge Antilles is also an important character in this book paving the way for his cameo in “The Rise of Skywalker”.

Alphabet Squadron by Alexander Freed & Tie Fighter by Jody Houser

In the 90s Michael A. Stackpole and Aaron Allston gave fans the X-Wing series of books which followed Rogue Squadron during the days of the New Republic. Fans have been missing the series since its final installment in 2010.

Disney’s answer to this filling this void is “Alphabet Squadron”, a new series which follows a ragtag group of the pilots who fly a whole alphabet of ships (A-Wing, B-Wing, U-Wing, X-Wing, and Y-Wing).

The series also introduces Shadow Wing, an elite Tie-Fighter unit which features as the antagonists to Alphabet Squadron. The tie-in Marvel mini series “Tie Fighter” focusses on Shadow Wing.

The Star Wars Radio Drama by Brian Daley

The Star Wars Radio Dramas were produced by NPR in the 80s and 90s. Many of the original cast (including Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, and Billy Dee Williams) return. What’s even more interesting is hearing newcomers Ann Sachs and Perry King try and tackle the characters of Princess Leia and Han Solo. We also get John Lithgow as the voice of Yoda which is a bit fascinating. The audio drama for “A New Hope” is especially interesting because it clocks in at 6.5 hours, expanding the story of the original film quite a bit. If nothing else, give the first chapter a listen (it explores Luke’s escapades on Tatooine before meeting the droids).


Adventures in Wild Space
by Cavan Scott & Tom Huddleston
The seven-part series “Adventures in Wild Space” is a young-readers series that follows the Graf siblings as they attempt to rescue their parents from the Empire. The Graf family is also important to the “Star Wars Adventures” comic series published by IDW.


Lando's Luck by Justina Ireland
Pirate's Price by Lou Anders
Flight of the Falcon by Michael Moreci

The “Flight of the Falcon” is a series of kids books and comics that span the history of the fabled ship. “Lando’s Luck” tells the story of the early adventures of the ship with Lando and L-3. “Pirate’s Price” follows the ship into the sequel era. The “Pirates Price” audio book is especially fun because Jim Cummings narrates the story as Hondo Ohnanka. The one-shot comic “Flight of the Falcon” serves as final chapter in the series and tells of Bazine Netal's attempt to track down the famed vessel.

The Weapon of a Jedi by Jason Fry

The Weapon of a Jedi is a young reader’s book published in 2015. It also received a German comic adaption. The book shows us Luke’s earliest experiments with the Force and his lightsaber after the death of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Spark of the Resistance by Justina Ireland
“Spark of the Resistance” is a young readers book which brings the characters of Finn, Poe, and Rey together for a fun adventure on the planet Minfar. Like the other young readers book in the “Red Cover” book series (not sure if there is an actual name for this series) this story is short and sweet giving us a tiny trip with the flagship characters of the saga.

The Perfect Weapon by Delilah S. Dawson

The Perfect Weapon is a short story focussing on the character of Bazine Netal. The story highlights Bazine’s ability of disguise and espionage. Benzine is a very paranoid individual and the magnitude of her paranoia is almost evokes the classic story "The Yellow Wallpaper". Maybe that comparison is a stretch.




2018 Star Wars Books

Sunday, December 29, 2019

Creatures of the Mandalorian


Mandalorian Wrap Up Day 3: Creatures of the Mandalorian



Mythosaur


Mythosaur were creatures of enormous size who roamed the planet Mandolore before even the first Mandolorians arrived on the planet. The Mandolorians slaughtered the giant beasts and drove them to extinction. After their extinction, Mythosaurs became an important symbol to the Mandolorians, and many wore the sigil on their armor including the Bounty Hunter Boba Fett.

Blurrg
Episodes: 1, 2, 7

Blurrgs were a two-legged reptilian species. The species is frequently used as a beast of burden. They specialize in traveling long distances over land and leaping over crevices in the terrain. It is said that Male blurrgs were eaten by females after the mating process. Blurrgs were found in various regions of the galaxy including the Forest Moon of Endor, Ryloth, Arvala-7, and Zygerria. Blurrg first appeared in the 1985 television film “The Battle For Endor”.


Mudhorn
Episode: 2


Mudhorns were creatures native to the planet of Arvala-7. The creatures were large, wooly, and had a giant horn. The Mudhorn laid a single egg per clutch and the egg was wooly in the same manner as the Mudhorn fur. The Jawas of Arvala-7 found this egg to be a delicacy. In the final minutes of “The Mandalorian Chapter 8”, Din Djarin receives a Mudhorn as his signet.


The Mudhorn design is based off of a real extinct Earth creature, the Elasmotherium. This wooly rhinoceros creature roamed Eurasia 40,000 years ago.



Loth-Cat
Episode: 4

Loth-Cats were a breed of Tooka-Cats native to the planet Lothal. Galaxy wide many children enjoyed stuffed Tookas as toys. The Tooka of Lothal had a specific coloration of tan with brown spots and stripes. They were kept by citizens of Lothal not only for their company, but also to hunt Loth-Rats.

Tooka cats first appeared in “The Clone Wars” and are named for Dave Filoni’s deceased cat Tuuk


Kowakian monkey-lizard
Episodes: 1, 3

Kowakian monkey-lizards were kept as pets by many individuals in the Galaxy. They were also sometimes eaten as food on planets such as Nevarro. Kowakian monkey-lizards were intelligent enough to use tools, weapons, and have a developed sense of humor. They evolved on planet Kowak, where they shared linage with the Kowakian ape-lizard.


Dewback
Episode: 5

Dewbacks are beasts of burden native to the planet Tatooine. Though they are slow-moving, they are able to navigate the desert wastes without tiring. These reptilian creatures were used by Sandtroopers during the Imperial era.

In the original 1977 Star Wars film Dewbacks were realized using a full sized animatronic puppet. The puppet failed to function in the desert sands, so it was tucked into the background. For the 1997 20th anniversary release many CGI Dewbacks were animated into the original film.

Bantha
Episode: 5

Banthas were large hairy beasts native to Tatooine. Tusken Raiders domesticated Bantahs to help them navigate the wastes of Tatooine, but also for nourishment. Bantha Milk (Blue Milk) and Bantha Meat was an important part of a Tusken diet. Banthas were so important to Tusken culture that every Tusken had one. When they mated, their Banthas would also mate. When a rider died, their Bantha mount would perish afterward from heartbreak.

Banthas were realized by costuming a female elephant named Mardji. The idea of costuming real Earth animals to create Star Wars creatures was reused in the film Solo (where dogs portrayed Coreillian Hounds) and in the film The Rise of Skywalker (where horses portrayed Orabks).


Ravinak
Episode: 1

The giant tusked Ravinak species lived below the ice on a frozen planet somewhere in the Galaxy. In the first episode of The Mandolorian, a Ravinak attacks Din Djarin’s ship, The Razor Crest. Not much else is known about the Ravinak including the name of the planet on which it lives.







Saturday, December 28, 2019

Aliens of the Mandalorian


Mandalorian Wrap-Up Day 2: Aliens of the Mandalorian

If I had one beef with the Disney Star Wars films it is this: Where are the classic trilogy aliens? Fortunately the Mandalorian delivers where the new films fail. There are a ton of classic aliens in the Mandalorian including Jawas, Tusken Raiders, Twi’leks, Rodians, Nikto, and Klatooinians. Let’s dive in, shall we?





Jawa
Episode Count: 4

Jawas appear in half of the Mandalorian episodes, most notably in Chapter 2, when the Mandalorian attempts to chase down a Sandcrawler.


Jawas are droid scavengers. They are an enigmatic species because no one really knows what they look like underneath their robes. Their glowing-eyes tell us that Jawas are not and many sources imply that they are a rodent-like species. In the Star Wars films, Jawas are only ever seen on Tatooine and are native to the planet. However in the Mandalorain Jawas are present on Arvala-7 and Nevarro. In the original film, many Jawas are played by children, though the diminutive the actor Jack Pervis did portray the chief Jawa.

Ugnaught
Episode Count: 3


The Ugnaught, Kuiil, is an important character in the Mandalorian. Though Kuiil does not sport tusks, some Ugnaughts do.

Ugnaughts originally hail from the swampy, volcano planet of Gentes. Due to the harsh nature of their homeworld Ugnaughts evolved to be strong and resilient. In “The Empire Strikes Back” Ugnaughts can be seen all over Cloud City, most notably in the Carbon Freezing Chamber. The diminutive the actor Jack Pervis portrayed the chief Ugnaught on Cloud City.


Devaronian
Episode Count: 1

Though a Devaronian appears only briefly in “A New Hope” the species is quite common in the Expanded Universe. It is no coincidence that Devaronians resemble the Devil. Short on time and budget, the costume department of Star Wars utilized a second-hand devil costume. It should be noted that only male Devaronians sport horns. Female Devaoronians are harder to identify but they do have two round bumps on their foreheads in place of horns.

Burg is the Devaronian who appears in Chapter 6 of the Mandalorian. In the episode it is implied that Devaronians are impervious to fire attacks.

Kubaz
Episode Count: 2

The Kubaz were a mammalian species from the outer rim that consumed insects exclusively. One might assume the often masked Kubaz have trouble breathing on foreign worlds, but the real story is that they are just trying to protect their eyes. Since their homeworld orbits a blue-star, the Kubaz have trouble seeing red or yellow wavelengths. Systems with bright yellow light could damage Kubaz eyes, and therefore eye protection was required.

Garindan is the Kubaz bounty hunter that appears in “A New Hope” who informs the Empire of the two missing droids. Bizarrely, Garindan is voiced by John Wayne. Wayne was not hired to be a part of “Star Wars” but sound designer Ben Burt did steal a bit of stock audio from Wayne and ran it through a synthesizer to create a sort of buzzing mosquito-like voice.

Twi’lek
Episode Count: 4

Twi’leks appear in half of the Mandalorian episodes, most notably in Chapter 6 in which purple-skinned Xi'an tries to rescue her brother Qin from a New Republic prison ship.

Apart from Humans, Twi’leks might be the most widespread species of the Star Wars universe. Since their introduction in “Return of the Jedi” they have made their way into every corner of Star Wars media. Twil’leks are easily identified by their head tails (called lekku). Their lekku not only house part of the Twi’leks brain but also helps store fats and other nutrients. Twi’leks also use their lekku to communicate with each other in a type of sign language.

Twi’leks are also known for their often vibrant skin colors. Though, Individuals such as Bib Fortuna or Beezer Fortuna are known to have a light tan skin color, many other Twi’leks have green, blue, purple, orange, yellow, or red skin.

Nikto

Episode Count: 3
Nikto appear in the first episode of the Mandalorian, where they are seen guarding “The Child” from various bounty hunters who wish to capture it.

The Nikto are a species with many subspecies, which makes them hard to identify. The most common Nikto are the “Red Nikto” and the “Green Nitko”. Both of these types appear in the Mandalorian.

The Nikto were named after a famous line from “The Day The Earth Stood Still”: ‘Klaatu Barada Nikto’. Star Wars action figures traditionally identify three different skiff guards as Klaatu, Barada, and Nikto.

Klatooinian
Episode Count: 1

Klatooinian appear as marauders on planet Sorgan in Chapter 4 of the Mandalorian.

Klatooinians first appeared in the film “Return of the Jedi”. The dog-faced Klatooinian species often worked as henchmen and bounty hunters. They were close associates to the Hutts for much of galactic history. The Klatooinians even worshipped the Hutts as god-like beings (partly due to the fact that the Hutts had an extensive lifespan).

Trandoshan
Episode Count: 1

Trandoshans appear on planet Arvala-7 in Chapter 2 of the Mandalorian. The Trandoshans in the Mandalorian appear to have much smaller snouts compared to Bossk and other Trandoshans that appear in various Star Wars media.

Trandoshans are known as the greatest hunters in the Galaxy. More often than not, the prey they hunt is Wookiees. Trandoshans have the rare ability to grow their lost limbs back (like Deadpool).

Few Star Wars fans realize that Trandoshans owe their existence to another reptilian species called the Saurin. Two Saurin appeared in the “New Hope” cantina scene. They look pretty much like Bossk, but shorter. This is because one of the Saurin costumes was altered and turned into the costume for Bossk.


Tusken Raider
Episode Count: 1

Tusken Raiders are a group of desert dwellers native to planet Tatooine. They lived in nomadic clans who believed that the sparse water in the desert has been promised to them alone. Moisture farmers, who stole the water from the ground, were a direct threat to Tusken culture and it was for this reason that clans would attack farmers.

Sand People often carried Gaderffii sticks (or Gaffi sticks) as their primary weapons. The pointed ends of these weapons were sometimes covered in sandbat venom, which could paralyze victims.

Though the term “Tusken Raiders” was not used in the first “Star Wars” film, it was included in some late drafts of the film script. Fans would have heard the term at least as far back as a 1984 source book and by the release of the prequels even casual fans would have heard the term.

The Tusken raiders who appear in “The Mandalorian” communicate using ASL (American Sign Language).

Yoda Species
Episode Count: 8

“The Child” is the most culturally iconic character from “The Mandalorian” eclipsing even the Mandalorian himself. Pop Culture refers to this character as a baby version of Jedi Master Yoda, though most people who hold this belief publicly are quickly corrected.

In the script for “The Empire Strikes Back”, Yoda is an old wizened stranger. He is almost a millennia old, and there has always been a shroud of mystery surrounding the character. The most mysterious aspect of him may be his species. In the Expanded Universe, Yoda has no home planet, he has no species name.

Before Yaddle’s appearance in “The Phantom Menace”, Lucas did not even want to admit that Yoda was a member of a species. When a 1993 trading card depicting other members of Yoda’s species was to be released, Lucas ordered all copies of it to be destroyed. Although some cards escaped the pulping and a few have been sold on Ebay for $400 or more. The biggest controversy around Yoda’s species (and perhaps the biggest mystery) is the number of toes on Yoda’s feet. In the Original Trilogy, Yoda has three front-facing toes and one back-facing toe. In “The Phantom Menace”, however, puppets of Yoda and Yaddle are missing the back-facing toe. Various toys and sources depict Yoda as having three, four, or five toes, though three fingers and three toes seem to be the most common depiction.


Mythrol
Episode Count: 1

Mythrols are a blue amphibious race. Young Mythrols could produce a sweet musk, and their glands were used as medicine and perfume on the black market. After molting, their face would change shape and become barbed.

A Mythrol played by Horatio Sanz appears in the first episode of the Mandolorian. Another Mythrol, Junn Gobint, works as a mechanic for the Resistance and appears in “The Rise of Skywalker”.